A chance at real
by Caskettology
Summary: Episode 2x05, what if Castle's walls were a little more broken down? making him able to take the initiative to start a real relationship. Disclaimer: I do not own Castle nor any of the shows characters
1. Chapter 1: When the Bough Breaks

Castle was not having a good day. It should have been a great day, but it was not. He should be happy that he wrote a very promising book, he should be happy that his mother was acting and he should be _extremely_ happy that he was considered for heading a relaunch of Jam-, _a certain secret british agent_.

That was supposed to give him a good day. That was supposed to make him happy, that he overcame his writer's block, that his mother was acting again and that his childhood dream had a very good chance of coming true.

There was one reason he wasn't having a good day. Kate.

The problem had come up three times. First, his mother stating that she would be relieved that he stopped following her, second when his ideas were thought up and executed before he could share them, and third, that Kate were upset when she thought he would write another book and continue shadowing her, then saying she _herself_ that she was relieved that he would probably stop following her around because of the new book deal.

He felt useless and unwanted. Giving minimum help to the case, while not in lack of trying, and getting shot down at every attempt to contribute, while not just Kate, but Esposito and Ryan acted as if he wouldn't be a help at all, not sharing details as they came in.

But, he wasn't supposed to mope around, not when it was time to go to the book-launch party.

* * *

Kate was annoyed. She was annoyed at her Captain, expecting her to just accept that Castle could follow her around for more books. She was annoyed at Castle that he could basically do what he wanted, annoy her at her work or venture to new heights with James Bond. She, however, was most annoyed by herself, because, for some reason, some part of her wanted Castle to _stay. _She hated that Castle always brought up such a mess of feelings in her. She was annoyed with his usual bearings, physically attracted to his body, drawn to the fatherly side of him, and intrigued by his rare displays of honesty.

But the first point outweighed the others. She couldn't deny that he was attracted to her, but she would _not_ be a cheap conquest, as he probably couldn't handle the sincere and serious parts of relationships, as he was always fooling around. So her conclusion, he was a playboy who cared about his family, not much else.

That was of course the reason she was so frustrated by herself. Why would some part of her not want him to go away?

She forced herself to focus on work, filing everything to be ready for tomorrow, as she had a book-launch party to attend, she didn't really want to go, but was obliged. Besides, nobody said she had to be good company.

* * *

"That's her?" Paula asked him, intercepting his path to Beckett.

"That's her." Castle's eyes still mainly focused on Beckett

"Huh, That's one hell of a love letter you wrote her." Paula said, her tone pretty annoyed. "She got one book, and what did I get? One chapter in Storm Fall?"

"A very hot chapter." he argued, hoping that it would calm her down a little.

"And she gets a whole book?" she points out. "She must be a very special girl."

"Let me ask you something." she says after a pause. "When she calls you, do you call her back?"

"Yea."

"Of course you do, because she is important to you, and it is polite." She shot at him, clearly building up for something.

"I call you back." he defended.

"Three book deal. And I can't even get you on the phone to let you now you got the official offer?"

"There's an...?" he is simply stunned.

"Yea"

"I... um..." he gives up talking.

"So can I close the deal?" her words giving him his childhood dream, his stomach, however, was tying itself up in knots.

"Paula, I'm sorry, this is a big step." He hoped he succeeded in delaying to come with a decision. "I don't know if I'm ready to walk away from Nikki Heat." right reason, wrong name.

She called him out, "The one on the page or the one standing over there in pretty dress?"

"The one..." he stumbled, not knowing what to do. "The... I don't know."

"Oh, Rick, you sleeping with her?"

"No." he answered, finally able to give a straight, 100% true answer.

"Then what the hell are you waiting for? Go get her out of your system, then come down to the office and sign the damn contract. Okay?" she said before walking away.

He looked over at her, taking in her beauty. Deciding that his decision should be made final by what answer she would give him for his question.

* * *

"It's Nikki Heat!" was yelled from the swarm of the press, and suddenly everyone with a camera near her start taking pictures. She grimaced.

When she entered the room, her eyes find Castle talking with a man at the tables at the side, deciding not to go talk to him. She wanted to talk to him and Montgomery, so that she can leave as fast as possible.

She found Montgomery in a corner talking, but he spotted her and meet her half way.

"You clean up nice detective, " he greeted

"Thank you sir."

"Castle will be happy to see you." He started, "Have you read the dedication?"

She frowned, "No, What does it say?"

He gave her a look, "See for yourself. Excuse me" and walked away.

She wonder what the dedication was, was it special? Was it not typical Rick?

She walked over, and picked up a book, taking her time before looking at the dedication.

_To the extraordinary KB and  
all my friends at the 12th_

She was touched... a hope began to spread in her stomach that maybe he was a more sincere person than his usual antics hinted to.

"Hey," Castle's voice, coming from behind her, the hope in her stomach turning into butterflies.

* * *

You see her reading the dedication, but not her reaction, as you are approaching from behind.

"Hey," Castle was gladdened to see the look on her face, as the fact that she looked happy to see him outweighed the hurt from earlier today, when she said she would be relieved if he would leave.

"Hey," she starts, "I... I was just... ehm.. the dedication, whoa, thank you." never holding her gaze at the same place.

He got the feeling that she was a little uncomfortable under the praise, but she looked less guarded, more open to him, and that really helped his nerves. "I meant it, you are extraordinary."

A little smile grew on her, and he got the feeling that this might actually end well. "Listen... I was thinking..." he pauses, gathering up more courage.

Her smile grows a little more...

...Giving him the morale boost he needed. "I hope that with all we have done up to now, I..." he falters, maybe his courage wasn't up for the task after all...

* * *

She felt the butterflies begin to take wings. He looked as sincere as the time he really apologized, one of the glimpses she was given into a caring man, a man that was real, not some over the top playboy.

And he is nervous. She understands that this is not the playboy at all. This is so much better, and her smile grows a little, butterflies bouncing around. If he was asking what she was thinking he was going to...

"I..." he starts again, then he blinked, stood a little straighter and finished with his question; "I was hoping you would go on a date with me."

She blushed, and before she could stop herself, found she answered.

"Yes."

* * *

**A/N: I decided to make a fic out of this episode as this is the first time I feel Beckett is open for a "real" relationship with Castle. I am wondering however, on how or if I should take this further. I can have it as a one-shot, I can make a series of one-shots about them getting together, or I could try to continue this story. Please pinch in your opinions, and I will be happy to try to accommodate your wishes.**


	2. Chapter 2: Vampire Weekend

**A/N I decided to continue the story, and following the episodes out the season. For everybody who wanted a date-chapter, it may or may not come later. Anyway, the timeline in my head (at least as this story is concerned) set the last chapter mid-October, so Castle and Beckett have been dating about two weeks.**

* * *

As they caught up with each other at the graveyard, Kate saw two two things about Castle. One, he was wearing a Malcolm Reynolds costume, which was kind of hot, and that he was thinking about something.

"What's the matter, Castle?" she asked, wondering if it was about keeping their relationship quiet or not, as this was their first case after they started dating.

"I was kinda wondering..." he started, looked around to check that no one overheard them, then continued; "I wondered when we should make us official, you know..."

Damn, he had to ask about that, "I don't know, Castle." She said, as they continued toward the crime scene. "I like to take things slowly."

"I was thinking that we could go official at my Halloween party, you know? Just being there, not hiding our relationship."

That could actually make a good opportunity, she thought. "Maybe..." she said, hoping he would not press the issue further out of her comfort zone.

"Well... if you need to make up your mind, I can let you take the reins about how couple-y we are at the party. No need for you to anything you are not comfortable with." He gave her a gentle look, and brushed his hand against hers as he finished.

She blushed a little, "Thank you Castle, that means a lot... by the way, that outfit looks good on you." She said, figuring it was a way to change the path of the conversation and give a little extra thanks at the same time.

"Have you seen firefly?" he asked, this time a glimmer had come in his eye.

"Err... yes?" she answered, not knowing where he was going with it.

"You know..." he said taking a little pause, "You could come over, after the case is closed and watch some episodes with me?" He looked at her hopefully, a hint of a smile on his lips.

"That would be nice," She answered, "but we're here, so stay focused on the case."

* * *

Kate sat down at the table, pushing down Castle's legs and leaned over, a smile grazing her lips. "Hot on the case, Castle?" she teased.

"On the case of a good read." he answered, "It's actually not bad.

"Esposito found Morgan Lockerby." She showed him the picture.

Castle took a look, then suddenly began to turn the pages of the graphic novel. "you mean, Morlock." He found the right page, took Morgan's file and held them together to show that Morgan clearly was the inspiration for Morlock.

She moved closer to him, getting a better look. "Vixen was right." she thought aloud.

"You smell like cherries." Castle commented, looking at her as she turned her head towards him.

"You like it?" She asked, a coy smile appearing at her lips, the look he gave her was all the answer she needed, but also more than enough to make her lean in a little more to give him a quick kiss.

"Hey we got a hit on the..." Ryan started, stopping as he saw them jump apart from their almost-kiss.

Ryan and Esposito entered the room, looks shifting from Castle to Beckett. "Are we... Interrupting something?" Esposito asked.

Beckett shot them a death glare, while Castle looked a little put out.

"O-kay..." Ryan said, taken aback by Beckett's glare.

"What did you get a hit on?" Beckett asked, her voice betraying that she was uncomfortable by the previous topic.

"The prints from the stake," Esposito answered, "Morgan Lockerby, but we haven't found him." apparently he also got intimidated by Beckett.

"Then you got something to do." She said, her tone hard, leaving no room for argument.

After Ryan and Esposito scurried out, she turned back to Castle, poked him in the shoulder to get his attention from the graphic novel, and gave him a quick kiss.

"Didn't get to do it earlier." She said with a smirk.

Castle smiled at her. "Thank you for sending the boys away then, since I already found out where to find Morgan."

"You did?" she asked, "Then you clearly deserve another kiss then."

She felt his smile when their lips met for the second time at the precinct.

* * *

"She said she wasn't sure she could make it, she had some paperwork to finish off." Ryan said.

Castle felt a little sad knot forming in his stomach. He had hoped she would be here, but he probably scared her away. He shouldn't have suggested that they went official at the start of the ca...

"Hey there, looking for me?" Her voice, only not what you would call... innocent.

He turned around, eager to see what she was dressed as.

He was disappointed. "You're... you, I said costumes mandatory.

"Well, I was going for sexy, not scary." She winked at him, then took her hands down to her belt.

It was then he noticed that it looked like she didn't have pants on. He was transfixed as she began do undo the belt, his mouth slowly opening...

He jumped backwards as the little monster shot towards him. "Now we're even." she said, a satisfied look on her face.

As Castle recovered from the shock, he gave her his bird. Laughter bubbling up from the spectators.

Beckett looked at the bird, then up at Castle, "It shouldn't be entirely free should it?"

She went closer to Castle, stood on her toes as she lifted her arms to his shoulders and gave him a long kiss. Castle was a little shocked, but quickly got his arms around her, still holding the bird still in his hand, and responded to what was aspiring to be the best kiss of his life.

The crowd had been thoroughly shocked into silence, and it took almost a minute before Lanie let out a squeal "_FINALLY!"_

* * *

**A/N: I am following this story throughout the second season, but I have not decided which episodes to include, so you can reply with a wanted episode and why you want it in the story. Be advised that I focus on the Caskett relationship so please come with episodes that include Caskett moments. I will of course include the double and the Demming-episodes.**

**Hope you like it, and the next chapter should be up soon.**


	3. Chapter 3: One Man's Treasure

**A/N: Sorry for not posting for a while, but a new semester is starting and there is almost too much partying to get anything done, and I started out weithout internett. Now, however, the internett is up and I have a few moments I can use to continue this story. I jump to episode s2 e10, and I hope you guys have no problem with that. I would just like to comment that in s2 e9 in my storyline Beckett evades saying that she is Castle's girlfriend instead of denying it (as in the episode.)**

* * *

"You ready?" Castle asked Beckett, "Here we go." both focused on the coffee machine, Castle to make coffee, Beckett to learn how to use it.

Making coffee for Beckett is one of his specialties. In fact, he decided, it is so important to him that he unconsciously sabotaged his attempt to show her how to do it... which in turn earned him a smirk. He had hoped for a kiss, but you can't have everything.

"I know Alexis already talked to you, I just wanted to make sure that you were really okay with having her here." Castle said as they walk out. Beckett and Alexis haven't bonded quite yet, (except for the whole semester abroad thing) and he hoped that they would form a strong friendship, and that did not come out of strained feelings towards each other.

"I wouldn't have said yes if I wasn't." she answered.

"Well... you're busy, and I just don't want her to get in the way."

"Big Castle is the one who likes getting in the way, I'm sure little Castle will be a pleasure."

They smiled at each other, but Ryan and Esposito interrupted further chitchat as they have updates on the case. And down to the morgue it is.

"You okay?" he asked, noticing she was getting tenser each step towards the room with a dead body and a grieving wife.

"This is never easy, no matter how much experience you have." she answered, moving to open the door.

He blocked her, "You know, if it is okay with you, you can come to dinner with us after the case, especially since we didn't have time for our firs month anniversary last week." he looked at her warmly.

"If your mother and Alexis doesn't have a problem with it, I would love to." She answered, her whole stance loosing up, and a smile opening up.

* * *

Beckett was looking at the murder-board again, trying to make it talk. She sensed Castle's approach, but she didn't feel like focusing on him now.

"Two relationships, can you imagine the stress of trying to pull that off?" she asked, the question rhetorical.

"Yes"

She froze. Staring at him. Had he cheated? She knew that his history as a playboy was making their relationship a little harder that it needed to be, but if he was a cheater..? she didn't know what to do.

"Uhm..." he began as he noticed her stare. "From a literally point of view."

"Castle!" she snapped, not buying the lame excuse. She grabbed his jacket and dragged him towards the break-room.

"Ehm..." began Esposito, taking a step back as Beckett sent him a glare. "Later." he finished.

Checking that the break-room was empty, she pushed Castle in and locked the door.

"Talk" she commanded, giving him a death-stare.

"um... I..." he began, mouth opening and closing a few times more than strictly necessary.

"How can you even imagine that!" She yelled, pushing at him, not registering that her eyes was welling up with tears.

"Kate," He said soothingly, trying to put a hand on her shoulder, but she flinched back.

"Don't touch me." It was almost a whisper.

"Kate, please." He said, and she looked up at him, eyes pleading for him to make the sudden pain go away. "You know, as a writer, I need to imagine not just events, but feelings. I can imagine things I have witnessed, and the closer up I witness, the better the image in my head."

She was confused. He wasn't making sense. He wouldn't have that problem, would he? He was a ruggedly handsome bestselling millionaire author, people would cheat with him, not at him. "Castle...?" she asked, and now that she really looked in his eyes, she saw that he was hurt. "Did somebody...?" she couldn't finish.

"Meredith." he said, his body deflating. "Alexis was three. We went home from the playground, and when we came home, we heard noises. I sent Alexis to play with some toys, while I went to our bedroom. Meredith was riding her director, and after a rather awkward scene, they both left. There were divorce papers at the table the next morning. We moved to the loft pretty soon afterward."

She knew the only thing she could do was to embrace him.

"That won't be me." she said after a while, morphing the embrace to a kiss before suggesting that they finish the case.

* * *

**A/N: So, not a too long chapter today, but rejoice! I have decided that after I finish this story (out season 2) I will try to make a sequel of season 3, especially if you guys are up for it. I have also decided which episodes to write about for the rest of this story, e12, 13, 14, 16, 17-18, and the "Demmisodes" the two-parter and some of the demmisodes may be combined into one chapter, and the _late shaft_ happens minus Ellie Monroe.**

**Review with ideas, questions, comments and criticism. Everything makes me happier and may build a better story for you.**


	4. Chapter 4: A Rose For Everafter

**A/N: And I'm back with good news! After watching "The Late Shaft" I decided to push it in this fic, stomping around on Ellie is going to be fun :)**

* * *

"Kyra?"

Castle was shocked. Seeing Kyra after all these years made him... he's not exactly sure, but he's going with shocked.

"Rick?" Kyra said, apparently just as shocked as Castle. "Rick Castle."

Everyone else were stunned.

After coming back to reality, Kyra went towards Castle, "I've read somewhere that you were working with the police, but I, I never would have expected it to..." Kyra stopped, trying to find words. "How long has it been?"

"Too long." Castle answered, not seeing the look on Beckett's face.

"You look exactly the same." Kyra said, smiling in wonder at him.

"And you've improved." He countered.

"You always did know how to turn a phrase." Kyra said with a little laugh. "This is so surreal. It's my wedding day, and you... show up." Kyra added after a pause.

Beckett's phone beeped, but Castle didn't notice.

"Castle, Lanie's got something for us." She said.

"I'll catch up." He answered, without taking his gaze away from Kyra.

"Hmm, 'kay." Beckett said, but he didn't register her tone.

* * *

After watching Kyra and Greg coming out of the room, going to greet the guests, Beckett decided that it was time to talk to Castle.

She walked to his side, "I take it she was someone very special." She said after a little pause.

"She's the one that got away." He answered.

Beckett felt a knot of jealousy creeping up in her stomach, so she walked away and tried to swallow down the feeling.

* * *

It was _awkward_, standing in an elevator beside the bride, which was a suspect in your murder investigation and ex-girlfriend of your boyfriend, with plenty of feelings left behind.

"Your dress is lovely, by the way." It was the first thing that slipped into her mind, hoping it would ease the tension.

"Oh, thank you so much." Kyra answers, obviously not at ease herself. "It's Kate, right?" She continued after a pause.

"Yeah."

"I feel like I know you a little, from Nikki Heat, the dedication."

"Oh." Kate did her best to respond, but failed miserably.

"I still read Rick's books." Kyra finished, looking down.

"Yeah, well," Beckett began, glad to be moving into familiar terrain. "Most of that book is just a result of Castle's overactive imagination."

"It's funny that you call him that. Castle." Kyra said. "When I knew him he was just... Rick, just of after his first bestseller."

There is an awkward pause again.

"Well, overactive imagination or not, I know he only dedicates his books to those he really cares about." Kyra said, before leaving the elevator.

Beckett took a little time to just bask in the memory when she read the dedication, and he asked her out. Then it jumped to their date, their wonderful first date, then jumping on to the first time they slept togeth- _FOCUS_, she had a case to finish, daydream later.

* * *

They stood together in the elevator, an awkward silence stretching over them. Castle knew that she was be curious, so to not make problems for later, he gave in.

"We met in college. We were together for nearly three years." he finally said, hoping she wouldn't dig to much.

"I didn't ask." She answered with a smile.

"Yeah, you were not asking very loudly." He countered.

"She's different from your ex-wives." She said.

"What do you mean?" He was genuinely curious as to why.

"She's real. I didn't know you have gone there before..." she started, trying to ease the insecure little girl that she still had inside her.

He couldn't answer yet, so he gave the next words to her.

"Tough break-up?" she asked.

"It was..." he began, not knowing what to say. "...it was probably why I didn't go for real. Until now." He finished as he squeezed her hand.

* * *

"How did you know that the door would still be unlocked after all these years?" She asked as he came up from the stairs.

"Some things never change." He answered, walking towards her.

"We spent so much time up here that summer. You'd come over, after I got out of class, bag of food in one hand, and that notebook in the other." She said, smiling at the memory.

"And then I would write, and you would pretend to study."

"I wasn't pretending."

"Oh?"

"Well, okay, I just had a hard time keeping my hands off of you." she said, half defensive half explaining, but with a smile on her face.

"Does Greg know you're here?" he asked.

"He told me about Sophie in his room. About him and Sophie, before." she paused. "He said he was sorry he didn't tell me."

"Do you believe him?"

"I just don't want to see you get hurt." he finished as she didn't answer.

"Too late."

They embraced, a little warning bell in Castle's head told him to not escalate things, both were in relationships, but a reassuring hug never went wrong.

"I missed you, Rick." She said, and the warning bells grew louder. "And I didn't realize how much until I saw you yesterday."

"I missed you too." he said, but when Kyra went for the kiss, he suddenly got a picture of Kate in his mind, and he knew he couldn't do it.

He pushed her away. "That's not a good idea, Kyra." he began. "Both of us are in relationships, so this is wrong."

"You're right." She answered. "You're with Kate?" she asked after a little while.

"Yeah. You should probably get back now."

* * *

"I saw her last night." He admitted to Beckett, who gave herself a little cheer in her mind for successfully pulling that chair bluff.

"I know." She answered.

"What?"

He looked so funny when he was bewildered, so she enjoyed the feeling as much as she could when she withdrew the file with the photos. Smug smile on her lips.

"You had me under surveillance?" he asked, afronted.

"Not you, Kyra."

"Why would you have Kyra under surveillance?"

"She's a murder suspect.

"Ah... Sophie's murder was an isolated crime of passion. Watching Kyra after that fact is a waste of police resources, which we both know you would not do." he argued smugly.

"I had to make sure that you didn't do anything stupid. Which you did." she accused.

"We just hugged." he defended.

"That's all that happened for now." she continued.

"I explained to her that I was in a relationship, and while I can comfort other people with hugs, you are the only one with kissing privileges." he said, apparently hoping a little humor would save him.

Esposito walked in, "Hey, the financ-" he started. "Everything okay?" he said after looking at both of them.

They looked at each other, then Castle laid a hand at her knee and gave a squeeze.

"Yeah." they both said to Esposito.

* * *

**A/N: That's it for today/night. I hope the dialogue where I didn't directly say who said what went okay, I also hope it wasn't a too bad place to stop, as I imagine the rest of the story didn't change very much elsewhere, so please give feedback on that. Everything else you want to comment on is as always very well accepted. Next up is Sucker Punch, so get ready for some heightened tension.**


End file.
